


With Hammer Stroke and Slow Anneal

by quicksylver28



Series: Sentinel AU- Avengers [3]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Sentinel
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sentinels & Guides, Explicit Sex, Multi, Mystery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-08
Updated: 2018-08-08
Packaged: 2019-06-23 23:57:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15617871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quicksylver28/pseuds/quicksylver28
Summary: Tony and Steve deal with the aftermath of their bonding. Meanwhile, the Sentinel and Guide Centre are getting rather enthusiastic in their efforts to meet the newly bonded pair. Good thing Tony knows just how to handle anyone who tries to make a move on his tribe.This is the Third Installment of my Avengers/Sentinel AU. You should probably read the other two before this one though.





	1. Chapter 1

Tony stood out on the tower's landing pad and took in a deep, meditative breath. A smell of ozone hung in the air, no doubt from a storm that was threatening to come in from off the coast. It mingled with the various smells of the city, something he'd had to readjust to after so many years of living on the west coast. Malibu had smelled like the sun, sea and smog; of freshly cut grass, chlorinated pool water and suntan lotion.

 

Nothing like the stew of human despondency that New York had seemed soaked in his youth. Even before he'd come online fully in his late teens, his sense of smell had always been abnormally heightened. It had made for many awkward situations in his childhood that usually left his mother and Jarvis both embarrassed and his father angry and upset.

 

He never did find out just what about him being a Sentinel, albeit a latent one, had left Howard Stark with such a bitter taste in his mouth. By the time Tony had come online, due to the shock of his parents’ death, it was too late to ask him. In fact, the emotional and empathic impact of having both his mother and Jarvis ripped from him in one cruel stroke of fate, had sent him reeling so far off kilter it had taken him years to recover.

 

Thank God for James Rhodes and Tony's sudden total and biological aversion for alcohol and narcotics. Well, almost total. He'd definitely tested the limits of how much drugs and liquor his new senses to could tolerate before rebelling violently. Too many days of waking up on strange floors and in strange beds, seconds from zoning out and in breathless pain from his spiking senses.

 

It wasn't until he'd awoken in an isolation room, feeling like death warmed over and a tearful and exhausted Rhodey slumped outside his door, that's he'd finally said yes to getting some help. He'd been thankful for Obie as well, at the time.

He'd grown up with the man, the smell of his cigars, his distinct aftershave, the hard spearmint candies that he always had in his pocket for Tony. The man had been a father where Howard had fallen short and even after everything with the Ten Rings and the Iron Monger, there was still fond memories and feelings for his uncle within the storm of anger and betrayal that still raged in Tony's heart.

 

What hurt him most was the fact that even after coming online, his sentinel had still trusted Obie. His spirit animal had been comfortable with Stane. He'd never even registered the jealousy or bitterness or anything out of the ordinary with the man. The fact that Stane had tried to have him killed had come out of such left field that his head still spun from the knowledge that he really hadn't seen it coming at all.

 

It had made him doubt his own sentinel spirit for a long time. Doubt his spirit animal as well. It had been a painful process, seeking council with the Alpha Sentinel of the East Coast, Burke Jarret himself and his Guide, Shaman Jason Walks Without Sound. The process had been arduous, with Tony having to face some old demons but in the end, he come out of it with a renewed trust in himself and his abilities as a Sentinel.

 

It had also taken time to mend the bond he had with his spirit animal, for them to trust each other again. Part of why he'd trusted Obie so much was that his spirit animal had been so comfortable with his uncle. On the other hand, the reason why Evander had trusted Obie so much was because of the deep and abiding adoration that a young and impressionable Tony had held for the man.

 

They'd both been so trusting and naïve together. So fucking… new.

 

But shit, at least they'd been new together.

 

Evander was a beautiful, reddish brown, Bay horse with black socks and a shiny black mane and tail. Standing at 16 hands, he was a majestic being and a sight to behold.  He was shy though, and didn't appear to very many people. Rhodey, Pepper, Happy and the Alpha pair remained the only people who'd seen Tony's spirit animal more than once.

 

Even the Avengers had yet to lay eyes on Evander. All except Natasha. And now Steve. He smiled as he remembered the other day when Steve had asked for their Spirit animal to meet. Of course Tony had seen Hoireabard before. In rare photos that Howard had coveted like leprechauns coveted gold. Candid war time shots of the massive bear standing with the Howling Commandos in the muddy battlefields of World War II.

 

The grizzly bear had been massive, standing at eight feet upright; it's thick dark brown fur and sharp black claws making it look terrifying. It didn't help that Howard would tell/threaten stories of the bear mauling rude little boys at the Captain's behest. It had taken both Jarvis, Anna and his Mother to convince him that those stories weren't true.

 

So when Steve had turned those baby blues toward him and asked for them all to get to know each other, Tony had been initially reluctant. His doubt must have shown on his face because suddenly he'd had his guide in his arms, their foreheads pressed together. He'd immediately zeroed in on his lover's heartbeat, the steady thump thump that calmed his own racing heart.

 

The meeting had been interesting to say the least. Hoireabard had thumped down unto his rump and grunted, scratching behind his ear with one paw while he blinked his eyes sleepily. Tony had been instantly charmed, a smile spreading across his face. Evander, not to be outdone, had whinnied and nickered; brushing against an awestruck Steve's arm and pressed his nose into the Guide's palm; preening as Steve ran a loving hand down his flank.

 

Tony had heard a huff behind him, soft fur under his palm and he looked over to see the spirit bear rubbing his large head against his hand. The fur was soft and warm and it took Tony's breath away at the honest and open emotion he felt as he ran his hands through it.  He'd spent the rest of the afternoon curled up against the bear's side, his back against the warm solid mass that moved with each breath. Tablet in hand making absent notes on whatever idea popped in to his mind, his attention kept being pulled away by the sight of Steve and Evander getting to know each other.

 

He was drawn away from the fond memories by a soft chirp, bringing his attention to the brilliant pink and orange skies of sunset. Off in the distance is the storm he'd been smelling, thunder rumbling faintly and lightning flashing like sparks. It reminded him of Thor, who was currently visiting with Jane in New Mexico. Tony missed the big guy, his gregarious nature and his wide smile.

 

Though Asgardians did not fall under the Sentinel/Guide Spectrum, Lady Frigga had sent along some translations of ancient tales of their encounters with the Midgard Sentinels and Guides of old. Midgardian scholars had had a field day with the ancient texts and Thor's mother now had a standing invitation to visit and lecture anywhere on earth she chose. Thor still beamed with pride every time he organized a shipment of Frigga fan mail got sent up with Hiemdall.

 

"Sir." Jarvis chirped, You have an incoming call SGC."

 

Tony rolled his eyes. "I thought I told you to withhold all calls from them until I say. What have there been like, seventeen calls already? They need to get off my fucking dick. I'll call them when I'm ready."

 

"Current count puts the number of calls at twenty four as of noon today Sir." The AI replied, "This call, however, has only been rerouted to the centre. It originates from Washington.

 

Tony's attention perked up at that fact. "Who's the call from Jay?"

 

"Shaman Jason Walks Without Sound."

 

"Put him through"

 

"Right away sir"

 

The call connected as Tony walked down the stairs to the penthouse living room.

 

"Tony. Shíyázhí. " Jason's voice was a warm balm on his soul. "A little birdie told me that you've found your other half. Congratulations."

 

"If by 'a little birdie' you mean that nosy dragon with feathers you call a spirit animal, then I'm sure she squawked all about it the minute I started to nest." Tony snorted as he searched through his fridge for a bottled water.

 

"True." The Alpha Guide of the East Coast laughed heartily. "But she didn't have to tell me though, I think almost every sensitive up and down the eastern sea board felt the moment you bonded with Rogers. But I figured that I'd give you a few days before trying to call you. Show a little courtesy for a change."

 

"It's better than anyone around here. The New York Centre has been up my ass since the morning after. Endless calls and voice messages." The genius propped up against the kitchen counter and took a sip of the cooled water. "They even had a bonded pair show up at the Tower yesterday to 'conduct a routine evaluation' Some kind of bull shit about our unique status as Avengers."

 

He drained the bottle, crushed it in one hand and threw it into the recycling shute. "JARVIS wouldn't let them past the door and Natasha went down to put the fear of Thor in them. They've backed down for now but have taken leaving regular voicemails and no doubt countless emails."

 

"Twenty eight voicemails and fourteen emails as of five minutes ago Sir. " JARVIS promptly supplied.

 

Tony rolled his shoulders and walked towards the large couches. He kept the lights low, letting the beauty of the sunset sky over New York shine in through the two story floor to ceiling glass windows that took up one whole side of the penthouse.

 

"I mean what the fuck Jase?" he flopped unto one of the large corner couches. "They are all but demanding Steve and I present ourselves to the tribunal for post bonding interviews as if it wasn't just a bullshit excuse for testing our levels post bond."

 

He crossed his arms behind his head and lay in the silence of the slowly darkening room, the only sounds his steady breathing and the soft whirr of background technology. "If it wasn't for Steve being so mellow about this whole thing, I'd be calling my fleet of ruthless lawyers to rip them all new assholes right about now."

 

The voice on the other end was worryingly silent. When the Shaman spoke, his voice was contemplative.

 

"You've never been tested…. Officially, I mean." he began. "When you came online, they did some preliminary testing but you were unstable then. The death of your parents and your resulting downward spiral wreaked havoc on you mentally and emotionally and as such, distorted most if not all of your results."

 

"Yeah.." Tony shrugged, "Times were different then. They didn't put as much value in levels and compatibility then. The research was so new. By the time they got around to approaching me again, I had the whole of SI's Legal Department between them and me."

 

"Mmmm. I remember. That case ended up being the catalyst for most of the new Laws, laying the groundwork on how Sentinels and Guides, and even Sensitives, are treated today. "

 

Tony smiled indulgently, certain that Jason was probably nodding over the phone as he was wont to do when he got started on the battle for Sentinel/Guide Rights. He shrugged. "Not that I don't appreciate loyalty to the tribe and everything but there's no reason for the Council to be all up in my beeswax. I've always found some of the so-called testing and evaluations were too damned invasive."

 

"I mean, things were different back in Steve's day, individual governments dictated the very lives of the enhanced. Hell, even Steve was chosen in part because he was latent. If Project rebirth failed and Steve had somehow survived, the US government would have had every right to use him as a lab experiment for the rest of his life."

 

Tony frowned, playing with the dog tags that hung around his neck on a thin metal chain. "I don't want my guide exposed to the intense scrutiny that comes with bonding with me. It's already a shit situation with my celebrity status and being an avenger…"

 

Jason hummed low over the line. "You don't want there to be another reason for your guide to be unhappy with you" he finished."

 

Tony flushed in the darkness of the room. Trust his mentor to zero in on his deepest insecurities. He gave a gusty sigh. "Yeah. When it was just the team, being an alpha was pretty simple. I've done it before with SI, and when it was just Rhodey, Pepper and Happy. I had responsibilities you know but I could handle those. No real pressure"

 

He rolled his shoulders and flopped over unto his stomach with a sigh. "But with Steve… with Steve it's felt like everything has been ramped up to one hundred and just the thought of disappointing him seems devastating."

 

It hurt physically to say that out loud but he'd always been able to share his anxiety with Jason without fear of being unduly judged.

 

"Shíyázhí" Hearing that word uttered in that warm voice made Tony's eyes sting. "He knows you. He knows your heart. From the moment you bonded, you let him into the very heart of you. He has seen you and chosen to complete the bond. He isn't going to turn away now. Be sure of that fact, my son."

 

The brunette wiped at the moisture in his eyes. "So if he hasn't run away screaming as yet, he's not going to?" his smile was a bit watery and he was sure that the other man could hear it through the phone.

 

"That's right." The other man chuckled, "Trust in your Guide Shíyázhí, just like you ask him to trust in you."

 

They chatted for a bit more before ending the call, the shaman promising to look into why the NYC Centre was being so persistent. Tony wanted to talk to the Shaman about Bucky's situation but so far it had only been shared by a very few. Not even all of the Avengers knew as Bruce was still at an international conference and Thor was in New Mexico with Jane.

 

Besides, this time he wanted to make an effort to have Barnes himself on board with any decision to be made. It was one thing to test a theory without the man's knowledge but he didn't want to make it a habit of making life changing choices for someone else. He didn't ever want to become that guy.

 

After they all talked it out, he would request for Burke and Walks Without Sound to visit the Tower and inform them of Bucky's status in person. They would be able to discuss further actions then. Right now a combination of Sam's Latent ability and Natasha's unbonded status as well as Tony and Steve's new Alpha bond was keeping Barnes from freaking out too much.

 

Soon enough they would have to hammer out some long term plans. No person in history had ever been turned from a normie into a sentinel before. The very thought of it still made his skin crawl. He couldn't begin to imagine what Barnes must be feeling. People with the gift were born that way not made and while it was true that every living person carries some bit of enhanced genes in them, most people had only the most miniscule amount of potential DNA.

 

For someone, no matter if they were an evil Nazi cult or not, to manipulate that DNA in such a way as to 'manufacture' enhancement was the stuff of nightmares and horror stories. And for that Frankenstein effort to have not gone immediately dormant but to have manifested as such a strong online presence was one in about a trillion, if Tony really thought about the numbers.

 

It was something against nature and it had rubbed Tony entirely the wrong way in his first few days of finding about it. It was only through time spent with Barnes and the overwhelming need to give Steven Grant Rogers every damn thing under the sun and beyond that had him working so hard to give the former Hydra a chance at a normal life.

 

It was full dark when he was brought out of his musings by the sound of Steve's heartbeat as it entered the building. He jumped up off the couch, just barely sidestepping the heavy glass coffee table. Hopping on one foot as he over balanced, he called for JARVIS to raise the lights slowly. He'd learned from previous experience that flicking on a light switch after a while in the dark was an express ticket to a migraine.

 

He ducked into the stairway and sped down three floors to the Common living space, skidding to a stop in front of the elevator just as the door pinged open. Steve and Sam stepped out laden with white paper bags and boxes, a very familiar logo stamped on the packaging.

 

Whatever quip Tony was planning to tease both men with slipped from his mind as he took a deep, moaning breath. He licked his lips impulsively, glancing up at Steve when he suddenly scented arousal in the air. Steve's eyes were the clearest blue and zeroed in on Tony's lips.

 

The blonde gulped. "We brought Spanakopita." his voice was a bit rough and Tony grinned, leaning into the warmth of Steve's body heat.

 

He heard as Sam gave a heavy sigh and reached out to take some of Steve's bags, continuing on to the kitchen and leaving them both standing awkwardly in front of the elevator. "From that place in Little Greece, we also got some of those tomato fritters and the spicy meat balls. And some of that awesome fried cheese and Souvlaki too."

 

Tony chuckled, throwing over his shoulder " Tomatokeftedes and Keftethes Sam. And the awesome fried cheese is called Saganaki."

 

"It's all Greek to me, man" Sam replied from well within the Kitchen, "I don’t need to know how to say it. I just need to point at a menu, baby."

 

Tony and Steve shared a smile as Tony leaned forward and went on tip toe to press a kiss against Steve's lips. Humming, Steve opened up to the kiss, deepening it until they were both swaying and breathless.

 

"We also got lots of Loukoumades, Amygdalota and Baklava." he gasped softly, licking his swollen lips.

 

"Yumm-o" Tony murmured against his guide's cheek. "And lots of Tzatziki I hope. I swear Clint drinks the stuff like its a fucking smoothie."

 

Steve nodded, his sweet breath ruffling Tony's hair. Ten minutes later they were around the sleek dining table, their fare spread out before them.

Soon enough, the smell of food brought Natasha and Bucky up from the gym, sweaty and flushed with endorphins. Tony made a face at the stink but a pair of unimpressed stares from the two other sentinels made him keep his mouth full of food and not words.

 

Less than a minute later Clint dropped from a ceiling vent directly into his seat at the table. Tony made a show of looking between the archer and the vent he'd sworn had never been there before. In return, Clint gave him a smirk and grabbed an entire container of Tzatziki, placing it next to his plate.

 

Tony could hear Steve sniggering into his hand from where the blonde sat next to him and had to fight not to turn and look at him. If he did, he would start to laugh as well and would probably choke to death on a mouth full of spinach.

 

As he looked at this team, maybe not all of them but enough for it to feel like Tribe, he felt the alpha within him stretch like a lazy cat. Mine, it yawned and settled once again. This is mine. Their heartbeats thrummed in time with his. Each unique in their own way just as their owners were as well. Together, though, together they like music. A complex symphony that sang in Tony's head and beat next to his own heart.

 

This is good. It said. This is home.

 

And for the first time in his life, he believed it.

 


	2. Chapter 2

The very next day the SGC tried again, this time they got a lot closer than Tony was comfortable with. He'd just enjoyed a lazy morning of breakfast in bed, in between bouts of mind blowing sex with his guide, and was ready to get down to the business of innovation.

 

Stuffed full with strong, hot coffee and lopsided sandwiches of crispy bacon slapped between thick slices of gourmet bread, he'd shoo'd Steve off to Bucky's room for an afternoon of crappy reality shows that both men loved to watch but hotly denied enjoying, and headed down to the Tower's R&D Division.

 

Dressed in designer jeans, a vintage band tee, air jordans and a navy blue blazer, he greeted the department head and dove right into sciencing the shit out of whatever they had chosen to tackle that day. Every few moments he would check for Steve's heartbeat, almost absently. It had become routine for him whenever he was in the building, he'd done it when he'd first joined the team, checking in every once in a while to make sure that everything was copacetic.

 

After bonding with Steve, his drive to ascertain the status of his tribe had ramped up tenfold. With their permission, he even had Jarvis track the heart rates of the team members that were away. The data was funneled to his phone and any time he felt ansty about Bruce, Thor, Rhodey or even Coulson; he could pull out the device and get live audio.

 

He knew that it was a blatant invasion of privacy and he was so grateful that his people had allowed him this concession. It was a lot of trust to place in someone, even an Alpha Sentinel; and he was truly humbled because of it.

 

He was elbows deep in one of the newer projects when he sensed a presence hovering at the edge of his awareness. He stilled. Letting his senses brush against the intruder. It was a young man, a sentinel. Bonded. He smelled of hazelnut espresso, nachos and red ink.

 

Tony turned his head slightly and watched as the young man took a deep breath and a tentative step forward. A female voice from two rooms over hissed. "Go on." and the nervous man nodded resolutely.

 

"Are you nodding? You're nodding" she continued, "You know I can't see you right? I'm a guide honey. I have empathic vision, not x-ray."

 

That brought a smile to Tony's lips and an exasperated look to the young sentinel's. Tony decided to put him out of his misery.

 

"Dennings right? You work in Risk Assesment."

 

"You know my name?" The young man perked up. "Uh… Yeah, I mean Yes Sir Mr. Stark."

 

Tony shrugged and carefully extracted his hands from the science he was working on. He grabbed a nearby rag and wiped off his hands, taking the time to look over the younger man properly.

 

He was in his late twenties, dark brown hair curled around his ears and down to his shoulders. Handsome, with a sharp jaw and startling gray eyes. Dressed in a crisp white shirt and deep red sweater; slate grey slacks and leather shoes, he played with his SI ID badge nervously.

 

"I know every sentinel and guide, active or latent, who works in my Tower Mr. Dennings."

 

The sentinel flushed, ducking his head a bit so that his hair covered part of his face. Absently he brushed it back behind his ear and looked the Alpha straight in his eyes.

 

"You can call me Bastian, Alpha." he offered, "Mr. Dennings is my Grandpa."

 

Tony raised an eyebrow. "And what was your father?"

 

"Gone" Bastian admitted, in a matter of fact way. There was no suppressed emotion there. No loss or anger in his scent pile.

 

"I hear ya." Tony nodded in commiseration. "Obviously you have something to tell me so spit it out. Oh, and you can tell your Guide to get over here as well. If she's gonna be talking over you this whole time, we'll never be done."

 

Soon enough an embarrassed squeak from two rooms over put a stop to the steady rambling that had been spilling from the equally as nervous guide's mouth since their conversation had begun. The sentinel in front of him flushed, colour brightening his cheeks as he ran hand through his brunette hair.

 

Moment later, a young woman slipped into the room. Dressed in a blue bodycon dress that made her short figure seem longer, she had lovely caramel skin and short black hair, trimmed in a skull cap. Her makeup was minimal yet perfectly applied and her brown eyes were bright with intelligence.

 

She ducked her head with a blush as she joined hands with her sentinel and He gave her such a look of adoration that Tony's heart warmed at the sight and the happiness of their combined scent pile. Together, they looked back at him with renewed confidence. Whatever they had set out to do, they would do it side by side.

  
"Joelle Raynes, Mr. Stark" she said, thrusting her hand forward for a hand shake then yanking it back just as quickly with a pink dusting of her cheeks. "Analyst. Securities and Safety Division. Pleasure to meet you in person, Sir."

 

Tony could not help but be charmed.

 

"Please, call me Tony. Mr. Stark was my dad."

 

......................................................................................  

 

Ten minutes later he was not so charmed.

 

"There. Are. What? In my tower?" he frowned, crossing his arms across his chest. "Tell me you're fucking joking?"

 

The sentinel and guide in front of him both cowered a little and he took a deep breath, pulling back the fury that was currently coursing through his veins. His phone chirped at the same time that Steve sent him a concerned nudge across their bond.

 

He pulled the device out of his pocket and read the text. It was Natasha, _'What's the sitch, Wade?'_

 

He felt a curl of humour break through the anger he was feeling and took a deep, chuckling breath. _'Gear up Kimmy. And grab Ron Stoppable and Rufus on your way here. We're going fox hunting.'_

 

Her reply was immediate _'10-4 Alpha.'_

 

"Wait…" she said softly, walking the hall some ten stories up, "Is Rufus supposed to be Bucky or Steve?"

 

Tony choked on a laugh, waving off the bonded pair's concern. He shook his head and the image that came to mind and had to turn away for a moment to control himself. His fingers flew over the keys of his phone.

 

_'In this case, Rufus is Coulson, but don't tell him I said that. He'd try to taze me and Steve would have no choice but to kill him.'_

 

"That would be a shame." she murmured and she knocked on Clint's door. "We wouldn't want that to happen would we?"

 

Tony tuned her out after that, knowing that she would get things moving in his stead. "JARVIS, patch me through to Steve."

 

He turned to the two other people in the empty conference room they'd moved to from the lab and motioned them to sit down, activating his watch. With the telltale whirr of machinery, the face spun and lit up; extracting a soft tone that made Bastian tilt his head in curiosity.

 

"White noise generator?" he murmured, "It sounds so different."

 

"Pink noise generator " Tony confirmed, adjusting the controls until the noise leveled out into a comfortable hum. "More effective than white and not as obnoxious to us sentinels. It will give us privacy for what comes next.

 

Joelle stared at the device in wonder. "Oh wow. I've read about this in an article. How is it powered? Does it operate on more than one frequency? How much of an area can it cover? Can a sentinel use one to sleep at night without adverse effects?"

 

Tony blinked for a second as question after question tumbled from the young guide's mouth. Bastian seemed to take pity on Tony and gently tugged at his girlfriend's hand.

 

"Babe, maybe the questions can wait for later ok?"

 

Joelle flushed again and nodded with a bashful smile, bouncing on the balls of her feet in barely restrained excitement. Tony couldn't help but smile back. "No problem. And FYI? Vibranium chip. Four. 20 metres. I haven't fully tested it yet."

 

The young woman furrowed her brown, as if trying to recall the order of her questions then gave him a blinding smile. Steve's worried voice cut through the light hearted moment.

 

"Tony, what's wrong? Bucky says that Natasha is getting Clint and Coulson together for a game of whack-a-mole? What the hell is a whack-a-mole? And your emotions are spiking. Talk to me babe."

 

Tony took another deep and calming breath, letting himself sink into the comfort his guide provided through the bond. He tapped on the table, activating the computer system built in and connected the video conferencing equipment to the TV in Bucky's room.

 

The sight of both men sitting on the couch, safe and sound, calmed him down even further. The two super soldiers got up, walking towards the TV until they filled the screen.

 

"Tony?" Steve's voice was full of questions, his blue eyes filled with concern. Bucky was staring passed Tony at the couple sitting at the conference table, his eyes sharp and assessing. His lips twitched when the guide squeaked out an awed "Oh my God Captain America" under her breath.

 

"We're going on a mole hunt." Tony said solemnly. "The SGC sent in a team to infiltrate SI because I've been actively avoiding their calls."

 

Steve frowned, "A team? I haven't sensed anyone new since we've bonded. JARVIS?"

 

"All enhanced personnel are present and accounted for Captain. Other than the pair that attempted to enter the building the other day, there have been no other incursions."

 

"Incursions" Barnes snorted, "Sounds about right."

 

Tony agreed with that sentiment. The efforts of the SGC to get close seemed less and less like an over-enthusiastic display and more and more like laying siege.

 

"That's because they haven't sent in either a sentinel or guide, latent, active or even dormant." Tony felt some of that anger rise up in him again as he spoke. "No… they sent highly trained Sensitives into my Tower."

 

Twin sets of sharp inhales came through the screen. Tony understood their concern. Sensitives were a grey area in the world of the enhanced. They were people with heightened senses but not enough of the unique DNA needed to be a potential Sentinel or Guide.

 

Because of this lack of specific DNA, they didn't fall under the jurisdiction or the protection of the SGC nor did they have common enough traits to become their own subsets. Usually they were drawn into law enforcement, the military or any other specialist job that suited whatever ability manifested in them. It all depended on what skills they had and how well they'd been trained. A highly trained sensitive could do pretty do what any latent could, to a point. The sharp fucking edge of that point though was the fact that Sensitives too often flew under the radar of being noticed.

 

Sure, Tony knew pretty much who was sensitive in his immediate vicinity because of his Alpha status but it took him searching actively in most cases. The fact that someone had tried to sneak a pair into SI… his territory… under his very fucking nose. It was intolerable.

 

He'd pulled up the relevant personnel files by time Natasha and Clint had stepped into the room.

 

"Rufus is en route" Natasha murmured as she slipped into position at Tony's flank. "He had to catch a bus."

 

Tony nodded, making short work of the introductions before letting Bastian and Joelle take the floor. Bastian seemed flustered for a few seconds, no doubt from having an audience of most of the Avenger's roster and the Winter Soldier, but he soon rallied and gestured at the second large screen.

 

There were two women displayed, along with their names and positions at the company. Tony gritted his teeth at seeing their SI employee information lined up underneath. Background checks signed and verified by HR. Salary cheques issued by Accounts Dept. His blood boiled.

 

Interlopers, a voice hissed in his head. Snakes in the grass.

 

The young sentinel went on to explain how he'd been doing a routine spot background checks and one of them had been flagged by the system. He'd gone down to Purchasing Department to do a quick verbal verification with the employee in question when something strange pinged with his sentinel.

 

"Liz Forbes." he pointed at the beautiful young woman on the left. She had stunning green eyes and full lips, her dark hair piled in a bun at the top of her head. "38. Hired as a Buyer by the Purchasing Department two months ago."

 

"That's from before…" Steve interrupted then cut himself off, sharing a concerned look with Tony. They'd only been bonded for a short time. For this woman to have been in the company for two months already was alarming.

 

Bastian looked to Tony before continuing. "She seemed way to … what's the word?" he looked to his guide.

 

"Slick" Joelle supplied readily. "A smooth operator you said."

 

The sentinel nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Like taking your Ferrari to the Five and Dime. Just wrong somehow. My Boss and I dug further into her records and discovered much more that what the initial check pulled up."

 

"With some help from SI's facial recognition software, I was able to find wedding pictures from two years ago. I mean, the internet is forever you know?"

 

He gestured at the other woman pictured. She was darker skinned with straight black hair pinned up behind her ears. She was also a stunner with wide and intelligent brown eyes.

 

"This is Beth Vincent or, as she's known in the state of Massachusetts, Beth Vincent -Forbes. She is currently working as a Sanitation supervisor for eight months. Third to twelfth floors. According to HR, she's been a model employee and has been a front runner for a promotion that has just opened up."

 

He looked up at them all, his blue eyes dark. "SI Executive Suites. 82nd to 97th Floors."

 

"Fuck" Clint breathed, "…that's just below Avengers quarters."

 

"Eight fucking months." Tony closed his eyes, taking shameless refuge in Steve's calming influence. Sam had joined the other two soldiers in Bucky's suite and was helping a lot in keeping everything calm. "Who knows what information she could have access to? Fuck."

 

"Um Sir. Mister Stark." Joelle piped up. "We did a deep dive on everything they both accessed during their time here. SI employee contracts give us blanket permission for monitor all devices while inside the tower itself and there's been no evidence of them trying to access or steal Stark Industries secrets or technology."

 

She gave a shrug. "They've been mainly working towards gaining higher clearance. Trying to get further up the tower. There've been several times where we've caught them both out of their usual routines and those were on rare occasions where … well… "

 

She looked at Tony with an odd solemnity. "Those were times when you were visiting SI Floors."

 

There was the sound of something breaking and they all turned to look at the screen to Bucky's room. Steve had disappeared off the screen and both Bucky and Sam were looking off to the side at him.

 

"Steve. Honey?" Tony called, feeling Steve's burning anger across the bond. "Talk to me, Cap."

 

He could hear his guide breathing heavily on the other side of the screen. Felt his anger like a quickening across their bond. Moments later the blond came back on screen, his handsome face scowling, his jaw and shoulders tense.

 

"Who sent them?" His voice was heavy with the words he really wanted to say but held back for the sake of present company.

 

"They work for Pyramid Holdings." A voice came from the door. It was Coulson. He set a flash drive on the table and multiple images and files unfolded on the glass surface. "It's a securities firm. Acquisition and claims. They came up on our radar some years ago but weren't a high priority. It's only when we recently uncovered who owned the company that the red flags started popping up."

 

Tony flicked quickly through the files, stopping at one in particular and enlarging it. "A.B.L.E.? But that's…"

 

"A shell corporation owned by the SGC New York? Yes."

 

A loud growl reverberated throughout the room, making everyone freeze. It was only in the resulting silence that Tony realized that the growl had come from him. He could feel Steve's emotions rising up to meet his and clenched his fists, almost enough to bleed as the Alpha within him roared his rage.

 

The peppery scent of anger that had been hanging heavy in the room became laced with acrid fear and he jerked back, making himself count to ten over and over in his mind until he'd calmed himself enough to speak.

 

"Okay…" he said softly through clenched teeth. "It's okay. I'm calm. We're calm. Everything's five by five."

 

"And Babe…" he turned to Steve, "I'm trying not to go feral here, sweetheart. All that righteous, all american anger is kinda not helping."

 

He gave his guide a weak smile, trying to inject some humour into the so-not-funny situation. The blond gave a crooked smile back, his own high emotions calming as he relaxed his broad shoulders.

 

"I'll try to keep that in mind, Darling." Steve snarked back, his blue eyes twinkling. "I am as you need me Alpha."

 

Tony grinned back, sharp and ruthless. He then turned to look at Coulson. "The pair that came with you. The ones chilling in the café across the street. Get them up here. JARVIS can express them up the back way."

 

He turned to Natasha, pointing to Bastian as he spoke. "I want you knowing everything he knows about our vermin situation."

 

He ignored the young Sentinel's terrified squeak as the Black Widow turned her intense interest on him and his guide. He turned to the Steve and Bucky. "I need you to stay put. Lay low until it's over."

 

"I'm not trying to protect you for your own sakes or treat you like damsel's in distress." Tony held up a pleading hand as both men started to spout objections. "The entire mission these two seem to have is to get close enough to us to get a good read on us. They've almost succeeded in getting close to me, who knows what they've been able to find out so far. The last thing I need is to hand you to them on a silver platter."

 

Tony's eyes pleaded for Steve to understand. "Dangling Barnes in front of them would be even worse. We need for both you and Sam to buffer Barnes until the situation is resolved."

 

Steve looked mutinous for a moment before Barnes reached up and squeezed his shoulder. After that all the fight seemed to leave him and he nodded reluctantly.

 

Tony released a slow breath, rolling the tenseness out of his shoulders and turning back to the rest of the room. His tribe looked back at him, as eager and ready for the hunt to come as he was. He felt Steve's presence wrap around his own for a moment, as steadfast and resolute as the touchstone Tony needed him to be.

 

The Alpha in him stretched out, filling the room and brushing over everyone in the room, even the pair that had just slipped into the room to stand next to Coulson.

 

They were an odd couple. Unbonded but comfortable in each other's presence. Hanniya Hiba, Level 5 Sentinel of Arabic origin with dark, slicked back hair and smoke coloured eyes. Seamus Gunn, a level 5 Guide of Irish persuasion with short cropped ginger hair and a smattering of freckles across his wide face.

 

The plan was simple. Bastian and Joelle would call both women into their offices under the guise of a glitch in the records. There Natasha and Clint would be waiting for Liz Forbes while Coulson's people would be waiting for Beth Vincent.

 

They would escort both women out of the building and have their security clearance revoked and blacklisted at every SI facility. His first, gut response was to confront the spies but that would give them what they wanted, face time with him.

 

The plan worked. Both women had known the gig was up when they'd walked into their respective traps and faced the welcome committees waiting. They let themselves be escorted down to the lobby where security processed them out.

 

Everyone involved knew that this was not a fight amongst individuals. This was a war to be waged and won amongst titans. The NYC branch of the SGC had just made the first offensive against Tony Stark, and with him the whole of Stark Industries, The Avengers and SHEILD. 

 

He watched from his office window as both women exited the building and hustled down the block to where a car was waiting for them. He took note of the make and model, the license plate and set JARVIS on a full search on the vehicle and on Pyramid and ABLE as well.

 

He wanted every scrap of information on them. He wanted every name, every asset, every dirty little secret and all the sticky little fingers stuck in their pies. He wanted to own them, lock stock and barrel. To gather them all under him and take them apart brick by brick, account by account until they were small enough for him to crush them underfoot.

 

He felt Steve's arms wrap around his waist and leaned back on his sturdy chest. His guide's scent was as familiar as his own and just as comforting; his heartbeat a beacon of serenity in a world of chaos. A low growling came from behind them both and was answered by familiar nicker and huff. Steve chuckled at the antics of their spirit animals and buried his smile in Tony's neck.

 

"They can sense how tense you are. They're trying to make you laugh."

 

Tony leaned his head back unto his guide's shoulders and let his eye fall shut; sinking into the warm comfort and love that flowed along the bond.

 

"They tried to take from us Steve." Tony voice was low and dangerous. "Long before we even bonded. They tried to sneak in here and steal from us. To take without permission."

 

Steve hummed his agreement against Tony's skin, his own anger at the SGC's subterfuge thrumming through his veins.

 

"We'll get them Tony. No one fucks with the tribe."

 

Tony turned his head and pressed a hot and urgent kiss upon his guide's cheek, his dark brown eyes almost ablaze with grim determination.

 

"They won't…I promise you."

 

He promised between soft, lingering kisses until Steve turned his face and claimed Tony's mouth with his own. And he meant it too. People who came up against Tony Stark usually ended up dead. It was a track record he wasn't proud of but one he wouldn't deny.  The SGC better be ready because Tony Fucking Stark was coming for them and he'd see them all burn in hell before touch any one the people he considered his.

 

Evander neighed his agreement, rearing up as Hoireabard growled in unison. He felt Steve smiling into the kiss and let his hands wander under the blonde's shirt to touch his warm and wonderful skin.

 

Yeah… those fuckers were going down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SGC - Sentinel Guide Centre


	3. Chapter 3

After a long evening and night of brainstorming and intelligence gathering, Tony had finally let Steve pull him to bed and a fitful rest. Several times in the night he'd jerked awake, constantly hyper aware of the smallest sound, the dimmest flash of light through the tempered glass windows. Steve would snuffle with sleepy concern but Tony would always manage to calm himself enough for his guide to fall back into deep slumber.

 

By the wee hours of the morning Tony was twitchy, exhausted and drenched with sweat. Making a face at how clammy he felt, he extracted himself carefully from Steve's octopus embrace and stumbled to the bathroom. Peeling off his soaked vest and boxers and dropping them into a laundry basket, he stepped into the large shower and had JARVIS turn on the water. His AI knew just how Tony liked it when he felt like this, a preset of various massaging jets and temperature working in tandem to sooth his body like nothing else.

 

Dipping his head, he let the pulsating jets pound against his skull, massaging the tense muscles at the back of his neck and shoulders. These hyper-aware episodes didn't happen often. Usually just after a serious threat to himself and his tribe, lasting for days on end. He'd gone through it for weeks after Afghanistan and Stane's death and a few more times in the years hence. He knew from experience that it would take a few days before he would stop being so paranoid and even though he was bonded, he doubted having a guide would make any difference.

 

He reached for the Sentinel friendly soap and quickly lathered up to get rid of the lingering stench of stress sweat. He would have to change the bed sheets as well, somehow getting Steve to roll over so that he could switch out the damp linens for fresh ones. He quickly rinsed, combing his fingers through his hair. The next thing he knew was being held against Steve's broad, t-shirt clad chest, the guide calling his name gently. He blinked and looked up into concerned eyes.

 

"You zoned." Steve caressed Tony's cheek with his thumb." I've been calling you for a while now. JARVIS woke me when you went unresponsive for several minutes."

 

Tony blinked, trying to remember the last thing he'd been thinking about. He'd been rinsing his hair, watching the water swirl down the drain. Ah…

 

"Sorry" he murmured, letting Steve pull him close once more and leaning his forehead against his guide's collar bone. The blond was still in his sleep wear, which was sodden and clung to his muscular form. Tony grabbed towels while Steve shucked his soppy clothes and together they changed out the bed sheets.

 

Steve's tired blue eyes reminded Tony of how much sleep he himself had not gotten and accepting an outstretched hand, he let himself be pulled back to bed. He sighed at how good his naked body felt against the cool natural fibres, Steve's warmth tucked behind him as the big spoon.

 

The next time he woke it was daylight, the cool light of dawn giving way to warmer morning sun. He'd slept deeply this time, falling into a restful slumber mere moments after lying down, and his body felt heavy and thoroughly sated. Steve was still at his back, blissfully warm and solid; his arm slung over Tony's waist. His breath puffed against Tony's neck and his erection pressed hot against the back of his thigh.

 

Tony pressed back gently, pulling a soft moan from his guide as the hot cock slid, hard and slick between his ass cheeks. Tony didn't bottom often, the stimuli usually too much for him; but in that moment he fairly thrummed with need. He wiggled a bit away from his lover, just able to grab the lube from the side table when needy arms pulled him back against a broad chest. Steve was snuffling, still mostly asleep as Tony lubed up his fingers and reached between them to prepare himself.

 

He took his time, working more and more fingers into his ass slowly so that no pain flowed across the bond. By the time he was ready, he was almost delirious with pleasure; panting into his pillow and biting back his own needy moans. Twisting slightly and arching his back, he positioned himself carefully and pressed back; feeling a slight sting as the engorged cock head pushed passed the small ring of muscle. Wiping his fingers against the bed sheets, he grabbed at Steve's hip to steady himself and sank several inches unto the thick shaft.

 

His breath left him with a whoosh, his eyes falling shut as he started to work his hips. A surprised gasping curse and tightening of the arms at his waist told him that his guide had awoken. The ripple of desire pulsing along the bond confirmed it. Steve moaned out his name, grabbing hold of his waist and pulling him back and down unto that thick cock. This time they moaned together, Tony lifting up one leg to give his lover better access. The blonde held him behind the knee, pulling the leg open wider as he began to thrust in earnest.

 

Tony slid his hands into Steve's hair, arching into the sweet, sweet fucking. Soft lips seared hot, open mouthed kisses along his shoulder and neck, making Tony tremble as his whole world became nothing but Steve's wicked tongue, his strong and steady hands, his thick veined cock. Tony felt hungry for Steve, twisting his head to the side and letting the blond claim his tongue; arching his back even more so that his guide could fill him up oh so good. A shocked cry was swallowed by Steve's deep kiss as the guide went balls deep in his ass and froze, keeping Tony full to bursting.

 

Tony trembled, his breath catching in his chest as the hot and heavy cock within him throbbed in time with his own pulse; his extensive vocabulary and intellect narrowed down to the words "Please" and "Steve". Finally, mercifully, the blond began to move in slow and steady strokes that had him pulling out almost completely before pushing back in to the hilt. Tony quickly rethought that idea of mercy as Steve's pace was just slow enough to drive him mad and just steady enough to have him anticipating every thrust. His entire being felt taut like guitar string, his body singing as his lover fucked him thoroughly.

 

He could feel Steve's heartbeat against his back, hear it pounding in his ears like a drum. It was as steady as it always was, not even moving any quicker than usual. Tony marveled at that fact absently, sure that his own heart was beating like a rabbit's. Just when he thought his head would explode from pleasure, Steve palmed his erection and pumped it a few times. That was all it took. Tony gave a cry at the sensation, arching almost painfully as his orgasm whited out his vision.

 

His head lolled, his body trembling as he went slack in his lover's arms.  Steve continued to thrust, sending sparks of pleasure pain up his spine at the overstimulation. He rocked his hips back, meeting each thrust and eliciting a small wounded noise from the blonde each time. The hand holding his leg aloft tightened its grip behind his knee as Steve's hips started to stutter and lose their rhythm.

 

Soon enough, the blond was cumming deep within his lover as he hissed out soft curses into Tony's hair. After, they both lay there panting, still intimately connected as they came down from their shared high. Sex with the bond was an intense experience that neither of them had been prepared for but both of them deeply appreciated. It sung between them now, still echoing the pleasure they'd both just physically shared.

 

After a while, hunger drove them out of bed and into changing the sheets once again. After taking a not so quick shower together, they headed down to the team kitchen for breakfast. Natasha wrinkled her nose in their direction but said nothing as she drank her morning coffee, as black and bitter as her soul. Clint was half asleep in his fruity cereal as he'd gotten back from SHIELD very late last night. Coulson was en route to Washington DC, for the mission he'd postponed in order to answer Tony's call. The sentinel and guide pair he'd introduced them to yesterday would be available to represent SHIELD interests.

 

Tony appreciated it. Plus, he found Hiba and Gunn to be tolerable. They worked well and were professional, and best of all they were honest. Well, as honest as spies could be. They didn't feel the best fit as tribe though, not like Bastian and Joelle did. The young couple was the only bonded pair that worked within the tower, the only other pair having retired two years hence. They'd been on Tony's radar since their hiring and he'd been keeping tabs on their performance reviews ever since.

 

Yesterday, they'd been invaluable. Not only bringing the issue to Tony's attention but providing smart and intuitive support to the Avengers, even while geeking out over meeting their heroes. Natasha had been impressed at how quickly Bastian had been able to swallow his fear and brief her on everything he'd been able to gather, even latching on to her train of thought and following it along with research and his quicksilver intellect. Joelle was a go-getter who made miracles happen with just a phone call and a smile. Her cheerful demeanor hid a sharp and clever young woman and a well-trained guide, who worked so well in tandem with her sentinel that Tony felt a bit jealous.  

 

He made his way to the coffee machine, moving around Steve as the blond pulled out the makings of breakfast. It made Tony smile to himself how domestic it all felt, having his team around him, lazy and comfortable. Just hanging out. He spotted his guide smiling knowingly at him as he fed sausages into a sizzling hot pan and sidled up to the blonde's side; standing on tiptoe as Steve leaned down to peck him on the lips.

 

Clint made a mock gagging sound over his cereal and yelped when Natasha gave him a quick kick in the shin. Tony also gave him a mock glare as he went to refresh his coffee. Sometime after Steve finished cooking and they'd all tucked in to eat, Bucky and Sam made an appearance. Both looked freshly showered and flushed from a workout in the main gym. Bucky had not taken his 'house arrest' very well, accustomed to his daily run but he'd agreed that it was necessary until the immediate situation with the SGC was over. It was just too risky for him to be out and about right now.

 

Between Sam and Steve, they'd been able to establish a psyonic buffer for the unique sentinel but much research still had to be done into the genetic manipulation HYDRA had done to the man. That would have to wait until Bruce returned and they were all able to dive into it together. The doctor had even suggested bringing Helen Cho into the fold and Tony had still been feeling her out when this situation had popped up.

 

They had just finished an enjoyable breakfast when Tony sat up with a thoughtful look on his face. "JARVIS? Have you been tattling on me?"

 

The rest of the team looked up as JARVIS came through the overhead. "Sir, I may be many things but I am most assuredly not a teller of tales."

 

Tony rolled his eyes and sat back in his chair. "Oh really? is that why I just felt the Alpha Pair of the West Coast land in my city."

 

"Ah…" the AI paused. "I felt it pertinent that Protocol 97 be applied in this case Sir. All criteria have been met. I hope that I was not mistaken."

 

"Protocol 97?" Natasha raised a sculpted eyebrow. "Which one is that one again? Never heard of it."

 

Tony shook his head ruefully, playing with his empty mug. "Nah Jay, you did good. Don't worry about it."

 

"Tony?" Steve's hand covered his, giving it a squeeze. "Talk to us Babe."

 

Tony threaded his fingers through Steve's and stared at their joined hands. "Jay? You wanna do the honours?"

 

"Of course Sir. Protocol 97 was a set of instructions coded by Sir on December 16th 1997, thus its designation. It was set in place by Mr. Stark, in accordance with Alpha Sentinel Jarrett Burke, Alpha Guide Jason Walks Without Sound and Colonel James Rhodes."

 

"What does it do?" Clint asked, face serious above his abandoned bowl.

 

"It was a list of instructions on what to do when a certain set of criteria were met that resulted in Mr. Stark being classified as a Sentinel in Distress. As of 8:56pm last night, all of the markers to activate Protocol 97 were documented and its instructions were followed to the letter."

 

"What kind of instructions?" Steve's voice was calm and conciliatory. Tony looked up and met concerned blue eyes.

 

"Basically, it's a call for help." he shrugged. "I'm not the best at asking for it so I made it so that if certain things happened, I wouldn't have to. JARVIS would make sure that I'm taken care of."

 

"I consider it an honour and a privilege Sir." the AI chimed in.

 

Tony ducked his head, blushing at the sentiment that thrummed through his creation's voice. "Love you too Jay."

 

"So…" Sam prompted. "What does this have to do with the Alpha Pair of the West Coast flying across the country on the red eye to see you."

 

Tony got up and refilled his mug, leaning against the counter to look at his little tribe. "Back then, Jarrett and Jason saved my life. I was spiraling out of control. I was doing everything I could to kill myself for years without using an actual weapon or throwing myself off a cliff."

 

He felt the jolt of despair from his bonded guide and winced,  rushed over to  the blonde, "Hey now…" he ran this hands through Steve's hair as the man buried his face in Tony's stomach with a soft whine. "I wasn't doing it consciously, I just didn't much care about myself that's all. Rhodey tried to be there but he had a life of his own. He couldn't be with me every day."

 

He settled himself on Steve's lap, letting the other man hold him close, taking comfort in having his sentinel safe in his arms.

 

"I'd finally settled in California, as far away from New York that I could get without leaving the continental United States, and that was when Jason found me. He took one look at me and said "I've been waiting for you my son" and I broke down crying right then and there. It took him and his partner years to get me and the sentinel within me back on an even keel."

 

He gave a soft sigh. "So in '97 we came up with the protocol. I'd been doing well for myself for a while and was out of crisis. All four of us sat down and came up with the prerequisites and actions together. It gave all of us a sense of comfort that if I needed them, they would know and be able to get to me. That if I were in trouble, I would know that they would come for me."

 

He turned in Steve's embrace and cupped his cheek. "I don't feel like that anymore Steve, I promise. They helped me so much. I am the alpha sentinel I am today because of them."

 

They shared a soft kiss, sending love and reassurance across the bond as the others began cleaning up the remains of breakfast around them.

 

Twenty minutes later, Tony was shifting nervously as the elevator counted upwards. He refrained from stretching his senses to far, already having clocked the Alpha pairs heartbeats from several blocks away. He played absently with the dog tags around his neck and shifted his stance once again. A warm hand came up to cup his own.

 

"Relax" Steve's voice was a balm. "From what you told me about them, I love them already. Anyone who played a part in helping you be around for me to find you… well. I'm just gosh darned grateful for them."

 

Tony made a wounded sound, turning into Steve's ready embrace.

 

"Gosh Darned? Steve, you're killing me here?" he bumped his forehead against the blond's jaw gently. "You are too precious sometimes."

 

"I'm sure they'll love you too" He then added softly along the shell of his guide's ear. "I already do"

 

Steve's face went all gooey and warm, his eyes crinkling but before they could kiss, the elevator doors swept open. Both men jumped apart. For a moment the four men just stared at each other until the Alpha Guide stepped forward with open arms.

 

"Shíyázhí" (Son)

 

Tony all but flew into his embrace.

 

After a few moments, Jarrett Burke wandered over to a gaping Steve and introduced himself with a warm smile.

 

"Don't mind them" he grinned, nodding towards where Tony and Jason were still hugging, talking amongst themselves. "They get like that when they first get together. Just wait until they're done with each other and start in on you. That's when you worry."

 

Steve couldn't help but grin back at the dark skinned, heavy set man. "I'll keep that in mind."

 

Just then, Tony turned towards them and laughed, wild and carefree. "Sounds like Honey Bear is almost here too. Sweet."

 

Steve gave him a confused look. "Honey Bear?"

 

JARVIS responded. "Colonel Rhodes is incoming. War Machine ETA Twenty Minutes."

 

"Yes, the boys are back in town." Tony pumped a fist," … here to kick names and take ass!"

 

Steve rolled his eyes as the other two laughed, feeling happiness along the bond from his sentinel. He sent back a gentle brushing of affection and was rewarded with an incandescent smile from his Sentinel as a rush tumble of emotions flooded across the bond.

 

He felt his cheeks heat at the honest emotion and almost tripped over air as they walked towards the common area where the rest of the team was waiting. He head his lover muffle a snort and shot him a dirty look as team introductions.

 

Tony seemed as carefree as a child, his mood considerably brighter than it had been in the last couple of weeks. He felt a deep gratitude to the Alpha pair, their very physical presence bringing such joy to the man he loved so deeply. A man they seemed to love deeply as well evidenced by how affectionate towards the brunette and how comfortable Tony was in receiving that level of affection.

 

He glanced at the rest of the team, seeing their barely concealed shock in how cheerful and engaging the billionaire was being around the visitors. And this wasn't the fake pleasantry he gave to the press and assholes like Justine hammer. No, this was genuine jubilation. He looked back at his lover to see the brunette holding a hand out to him, his eyes bright and happy. He took the hand without hesitation and let himself be pulled to Tony's side. Suddenly the sentinel grew bashful, flushing as he presented his newly bonded guide to his mentor.

 

Jason Walks Without sound was a man of the first people, a high shaman of the Navajo and certified dream walker. He was a powerful guide, with a psionic presence that didn't feel heavy as much as it felt majestic. It felt ancient, supported by generations upon generations family magic and wisdom beyond years. 

 

Steve could almost see a bird of prey behind him, wings spread wide and sharp beak opened in a cry that would surely be deafening if it were a physical being. With long, dark hair braided with beads and feathers, he wore simple clothes and a pair of ornate leather boots. Tattoos peaked from under his shirt sleeves and collar, simple dark lines which most likely held ancient meanings. He felt humbled in the man's presence. He also felt safe and comforted, as if  he'd been laid completely bare before the man and found suitable. It was an unsettling feeling. Jason's dark eyes seemed to look through him and understand him and all Steve wanted to do was hug the man for minutes on end as well.

 

Jarret Burke on the other hand was a thunderstorm under a placid lake of calm. The man was a powerhouse, his sentinel spirit prowling alongside him like a lion stalking the African plains. The weight of it made Steve want to bow even his broad shoulders and bare his neck to the man. It was something he'd felt before from Tony as well but the genius only did so in brief flashes, never unfurling his power for very long at all. It was something Steve had puzzled over for a while until Tony had told him that he liked to be underestimated. He was already a gorgeous, billionaire genius. A very powerful man in most circles.

 

He didn't need people outright hating him for being a powerful sentinel as well. He preferred to let them think him weak in that area. It made his detractors come at him with woefully under-powered salvos that he could brush aside with relative ease. Burke, on the other hand, was comfortable with the power that thrummed under his skin. His smile was wide and easy, his manner affable. His eyes were a warm chocolate brown but could sharpen to a coal black in a moment.

 

"This is my Steve." Tony murmured, "I mean my Guide, Steve."

 

Jason smiled indulgently, reaching out a hand for Steve to clasp if he wished. "I understand what you mean Shíyázhí. You haven't misspoken."

 

Steve stepped forward and clasped the outstretched hands. "it is a pleasure to meet you Alpha. Tony's said much about you."

 

"Good things I hope?" Jarrett chuckled. His Guide laughed as well.

 

"And he's talked do much about you that I feel as if you are Ak’éí (family) already."

 

Tony ducked his head, flushing red. "Adáʼí" (uncle) he whined adorably.

 

They were interrupted by the incoming whine of War Machine's repulsors and all turned towards the landing ramp. The black and grey suit soon landed and the suit disassembled by the ramp's arms. Tony ran towards the ramp with a shout and both men hugged as soon as Rhodes stepped out of the suit.

 

"Good… " Burke nodded, " We are all here. Time to get down to business."

 

.................................................................................................... 

 

"You know that they are afraid of you, right?" Rhodes sat back on the couch and took a sip of his orange juice.

 

He'd skipped breakfast and so did the Alpha pair so JARVIS had arranged brunch for them all. Of course the rest of the team hadn't said no because the catered menu had looked and smelled mouthwatering when delivered. Good thing the AI had anticipated that and had ordered plenty.

 

Tony looked up from his quiche. "Huh?"

 

The soldier chuckled at his closest friend. "Tones, ever since you came online you've been a powerful sentinel. Most of those years were spent with your head at the bottom of a glass or at the end of a needle but you were powerful all the same."

 

Steve felt a surge of anger at the blunt and brutally honest nature of the Colonel's words but a nod of agreement from his sentinel kept him quiet. That and a pulse of reassurance along the bond. The black man continued.

 

"By the time you fell into the Alpha pair's influence, you'd already begun to build the strongest shields I've ever witnessed. By the time your training was done, you'd leveled out at Six and that was with you keeping tight reins on your power."

 

Rhodes drained his glass and took his time in refilling it from the large jug of fresh squeezed juice.

 

"Unbonded, you’re higher than a Six easy. Bonded? New York City is yours, hell, New York State is yours. Ergo, someone is scared."

 

He pointed a flaky pastry at Tony before taking a huge bite out of it. The rest of the table sat silent for a moment before letting startling when Clint  let his fork drop unto his plate with a clink. He stared at Tony.

 

"No Shit. Just how powerful are you T?"

 

Jason spoke before a flummoxed Tony could gather his racing thoughts. "He's a seven easily. The only reason he isn't Alpha of the East Coast is because he was unbonded and thoroughly uninterested. Too much paperwork."

 

"Bonded now." Tony said, distracted. "Still not interested though."

 

"Too much paperwork" The entire table intoned in unison, sharing grins.

 

"Pepper would kill me if I tried to palm any of it off on her. Death by Jimmy Choo is not my idea of a good time. The only red on the bottom of her shoes should be because Christian Louboutin made them that way." Tony chuckled along, shrugging. "Blood red may go with anything as long as it's not my blood."

 

"But you are bonded now." Jarett said as the laughter died down, "to a powerful guide no less. The nature of the bond means that Steve's Guide level will mostly likely rise to match yours. He certainly has the potential for it."

 

"Because of the Serum?" Bucky asked, a frown on his face. Steve was sure he had that same frown on his face. The super serum was still mysterious in many ways, especially in affecting his guide essence. He'd been close to dormant before project rebirth, his traitorous body the hurdle he hadn't been able to cross.

 

The possibility that the serum could still affect his gift like that was alarming to say the least. Tony's hand took his under the table, squeezing gently and Steve relaxed. Whatever happened, they'd tackle it together.

 

"No," Jarrett shook his head, " Because powerful Guides possess the Potential to grow their skill to match a sentinel if the need arises."

 

Jason nodded along, continuing where his partner left off.

 

"The people call it 'bił yitʼah' or Flight. It takes training to achieve most times but when a pair are truly suited or in times of dire need, one of the pair pull each other up to complete compatibility."

 

"I hope it's the second and not the first," Tony rolled his shoulders, "… I really don't want these to be times of dire need."

 

He quickly turned to glare at a smirking Natasha. "And don't start any shit about me or Steve being in 'dire need' Itsy Bitsy"

 

The woman in question quirked a challenging eyebrow "Why should I when you are so ready to do the work for me?

 

The brunette mock pouted and sunk into his chair as the others chuckled once more. He soon went serious.

 

"So what do we do now?"

 

Jason tilted his head and turned to look at a brooding Bucky.

 

"We can start by telling us why your friend here leaves such a distinct mark on the spirit plane?"

 

.................................................................................. 

 

It turned out that explaining Bucky's situation was more simple than any of them had anticipated.

 

"Nazi assholes fucked with my DNA." he shrugged, his deadened eyes in contrast to his calm voice and demeanor. "We're not sure what I am now."

 

"Jesus" Jarrett breathed, taking hold of his guide's hands. "Just… Jesus."

 

"Yeah…" Barnes chuckled mirthlessly. "Tell me about it."

 

Soon after that, the Alpha Pair took Bucky aside while the others went to get dressed. The plan was to visit the SGC NYC branch directly and get everything settled. Tony and Steve situation, not Bucky's. that would have to wait until Bruce and Doctor Cho arrived. Now that the Alpha Pair were present, a frontal assault was a better option than the subterfuge Tony's been planning. Steve was reluctant to leave Bucky behind but Tony reassured him that Jason and Jarrett would be the best people to help him now.

 

An hour later, they headed out in several cars. Steve and Tony along with Jason and Jarrett in the limo while Rhodes and Natasha took Tony's Audi. Although Rhodey was not enhanced, he was a Sensitive. Highly trained through his experience with the military, Rhodey's abilities helped him a lot when it came to his missions and piloting the suit; for which, Tony was immensely grateful. 

 

Hiba and Gunn met them in the parking lot, greeting the Alpha pair respectfully. Before they could go inside though, all of the sentinels raised their faces to the sky as one, waiting. Minutes later a flashy red classic car descended quietly from the sky, touching down gently on the asphalt. Coulson sat behind the wheel, two older women in the backseat. They were both well in their sixties and stunningly beautiful, power radiating off of them in waves. They were both silver haired and dressed in well-tailored, elegant clothes.

 

Tony stepped forward and dipped his head respectfully as they got out of the car. "Alpha Sentinel Marium Bertram, Alpha Guide Diana Durand. It is such a pleasure to see you again."

 

"Likewise, dear Anthony" Marium smiled and exchanged air kisses. Her dark skin was radiant in the sunlight, her hair braided around the crown of her head like the greek goddesses of old. She was dressed in a sharp white suit that looked brilliant against her dark skin.

 

"Bonding suits you Tony." Her Guide clapped her hands together with a wide, sharp grin. She elbowed her partner in the side. "Told you he'd settle down someday. Make an honest guide of of someone extraordinary."

 

She looked Steve up and down in blatant appreciation. "and he did indeed. Very extraordinary."

 

Steve couldn't help but blush, his heated cheeks staying with him even as they made their introductions and decided to head inside.

 

Tony hung back to talk to Coulson. The other man smiled his equanimous little smile. "Just doing my part for the tribe."

 

Tony smiled back, placing his hand on Coulson's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "You truly are a worthy Shield brother, Son of Coul. I'm honoured to call you friend."

 

Even though his face stayed calm, his scent pile indicated that he was pleased. They soon joined the others and entered the Sentinel/Guide Centre of New York City.

 

It didn't take them long to find the persons behind the SGC's shady shenanigans. In a city like New York, one of the main hubs of the east coast, the centre was run by a council of three enhanced. Be they Sentinel or guide, they had to be bonded and above Level 5. Bonded pairs could not sit on the council together so to avoid any chance of bias, only one of the pair was able to hold a position at any one time. The current tribunal consisted of two sentinels and one guide, their nervousness making them easy to seek out and find. Two were hiding in the Council's executive offices while the third was caught trying to flee to their car and were picked up by Hiba and Gunn.

 

It was all very anti-climactic, with Durand and Bertram taking charge of the entire situation with a ruthless efficiency that made Tony hope that the Alpha pair and Pepper never met. They would take over the world in no time flat and make him do all the paper work. He gave a shudder at the thought but soon brushed it off when the disgraced council was brought into the room.

 

Oddly, once Tony was face to face with the very people who'd been thorns in his side, he felt all his anger bleed away.

 

"Why?" he asked, then waited for them to speak.

 

"Fear of the unknown I guess." One of the Sentinel's finally spoke, her eyes looking old beyond her forty odd years. "You refused to be tested. You never followed any Centre directives. You took the SGC to court and won. More than once!"

 

She shrugged and ran nervous fingers through her hair. "And then you fucking bonded. And not just to anyone, oh no. you went and snatched up Captain freaking America. Are you even serious?"

 

She gestured wildly at Steve who jerked back in surprise, blinking at her sudden ire. She shook her head, her hair falling in a mess around her pinched face.

 

"You are Level Six at least, and that was when you first came online. We've seen the classified files… we know that you were holding back even then"

 

Tony exchanged a concerned glance with the Alpha pairs at those words. Even Council members were not cleared to read Tony's files. There was a leak somewhere and it would be up to the Alphas to find it and cork it.

 

"We had now idea what kind of boost you get from bonding. We had to know what we were dealing with."

 

"So you sent people to spy on me? On my Guide? On my Tribe? Like snakes in the fucking grass." oh yeah, some of that anger was coming back. "You sent Sensitives into my Company? Sleeper agents whose only task was to get close to me?"

 

He crossed his arms over his chest so that he wouldn't lash out, his rage starting to burn once again. He felt more than heard Steve flank his right, Natasha on his left. Rhodey's silent support was at his back.

 

"And if I was too powerful. If I was a threat. What would happen then? Your sleepers would take me out is that it? Was that your brilliant solution?"

 

"No" the woman denied hotly only to falter and look at the others, "We wouldn't… I mean… we would have used…"

 

"What? Necrotalis?" Tony snarled, taking a step back as a countermeasure to the rage that ignited in him at the very thought. "You would have forced me dormant with some shitty black market drug?"

 

"Fuck" Rhodey gasped softly behind him, the smell of his horror and disgust strong in Tony's nostrils and joined others in the room. A shocked silence hung heavy in the air for a long moment and the occupants processed the implications of that near admission.

 

Steve seemed frozen, a marble statue for a few seconds before he was moving towards the door and taking a startled Tony with him. Jason moved with them, quickly guiding the couple to one of the isolation rooms. Tony barely got a word out when he had a trembling guide wrapped around him. Anger forgotten, the brunette concentrated on his Guide, sending love and reassurances across the bond as he guided them to both lay on the bed.

 

He pulled the blond against him, content to be the little spoon once again. Laying like this always made his guide relaxed. For a long while after Tony did nothing but listen to his Bonded Guide silently freak out behind him; his harsh sobbing breaths puffing against Tony's neck. He tangled their fingers together, letting his normally clamped tight shields just loose enough to envelop Steve in his essence. Steve's guide essence rushed forward, sinking into the comfort and safety of the bond and just drifted.

 

When he was finally able to speak, his voice was horse and thready between kisses pressed urgently along Tony's neck and clavicle.

 

"I keep almost losing you." he whispered, "Too many close fucking calls. They were going to… they were thinking of …. Using that filth on you." his voice sharpened with rage and utter disgust. "…all because they were scared they'd be out of a job? What the ever loving fuck babe? Who are these people?"

 

Tony turned his head a bit so that his guide's mouth was against his cheek. "it's hard to believe I know but they are not going to hurt you. I won't let them, I promise."

 

"Hurt me?" Steve chuckled darkly, his Brooklyn accent thickening "I got out of there because if I didn't I was gonna hurt them. if They'da laid a measly hand on my sentinel, I'dda ripped 'em rats apart limb from limb.  Fuhgeddaboudit. "

 

Tony choked on a laughed and shuffled around to face his lover, cupping his face. "I love you so fucking much Rogers. Guess you can take the boy out of Brooklyn huh?"

 

The blonde cut off the rest of his words with a deep, searching kiss before pulling back with a smirk. "They would catch some serious hands, son"

 

Tony's laughter surprised even himself and he yanked Steve back for more kisses; love and laughter still echoing across the bond.

 

This, he thought to himself in wonder, This right here was worth protecting. Worth giving his all. Outside, the Alphas would be taking care of things, cleaning house and seeing that the troublesome council was dealt with effectively.

 

He didn't want to dedicate anymore of his time and intellect to those fools. Rhodey and Tasha would see to his interests. He was sure that the Black Widow was standing outside isolation right now, making sure he tribe was safe. Hiba and Gunn would take instruction from her until they were sent back to SHEILD.

 

Back at the tower, Bucky, Sam and Clint would have already gotten word from Natasha and would be working to tie up loose ends. JARVIS would still be looking into ABLE and Pyramid Holdings. Tony was not yet satisfied with the little information he had on them.

 

Tony was just where he needed to be. In his guide's arms and wrapped up in their bond. There was nothing more important than this. He heard a soft neigh and an answering growl and could see from the joy in Steve's bright blue eyes as he looked over Tony's shoulder that both Evander and Hoireabard were nearby.

 

Humming in contentment, he tucked his head into Steve's neck and let himself relax; enjoying the sound of laughter rumbling in the blond's chest as he laughed at whatever antics their spirit animals were getting into.

 

Yeah, this was it right here. This was happiness. This was everything he needed. There was nothing else he desired.

 

He absently hoped that the alphas were able to find a new council soon and not come dropping hints on whether he wanted a place on it.

 

He may just be the strongest Sentinel in the state but seriously, fuck that noise. He was already a billionaire, genius, philanthropist, Avenger. And a boyfriend and bonded sentinel to a wonderful, amazing guide to boot. He had enough hats to wear. He didn't need to be Alpha of New York as well.

 

Frankly, it was just too much damned paperwork.

 

FIN

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO for all of you who were wondering about the whole "bucky killed tony's parents" deal, i have thought about that for a long while and even asked some fellow writers for advice. So instead of that pendulum hanging above them all, this will be an AU where Bucky DID NOT kill the starks. another hydra soldier did. this event will be dealt with in detail in the next installment of the series.
> 
> i did not want to spoil this entire story with steve, tony and bucky having to deal with this. it would severely limit where i could go with the story and i don't want potential angst, betrayal and heartbreak to poison this story. i have a plan to deal with this so that's what i'm gonna do. 
> 
> this story was AU anyway. i do what i want.


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